Essence of Time unit in Donbass. The Beginning. Rumyn

The events on the Maidan made me join the “Essence of Time” movement cell in Zaporozhye. The struggle against the forces, which seized power in Ukraine became a high priority in my life. Uprisings took place in Donetsk and Lugansk. As for Zaporozhye, an uprising there was unlikely. I wasn’t ready for underground struggle and didn’t believe that something could be done in my home town in the current situation.

After I had met with Sergei Ervandovich Kurginyan in Rostov, and after his appeal to go to Donetsk, I decided to come and help the “Essence of Time” cell there. I understood that I wouldn’t come back to my home town any time soon.

I was sent as a volunteer to the House of the Government. I liked the people who worked there. They were eager to fight against the illegitimate Ukrainian government and really believed in victory.

After I had met Kurginyan, the political reality in Ukraine and Russia became clearer to me.

I perceived my arrival to the base of the “Vostok” brigade as military service. I realized that there would be physical work, duties and other hardships. There was training. Loading and unloading made us physically fit. Closer interaction with comrades formed the goals we were working to achieve.

Comrade Boor saw how I cleaned my gun, heard what I told him about weapons, and said that, in his opinion, I should be working as a gunsmith in the weapon storage, since I like weapons and have theoretical knowledge of how to use them. With the help of Volga I began to work at the missile and artillery weapons storage. Ilearnedalot, including how to repair guns.

People of Donbass wanted to protect their land, so they joined the militia with their own legal and sometimes illegal firearms. This is a Nagant revolver, first produced in 1895. “Rumyn” helped repair a similar one released in 1943 during his service in the weapons storage of “Vostok” brigade in December 2014.

At first my service was uneasy. Contradictory rumors and lack of understanding of what is happening depressed me. But interactions with my friends helped me overcome it.